As of 5:30pm on Monday, Nov. 29, there are no African Americans in the U.S. Senate after newly elected Illinois Senator Mark Kirk (R) was sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden.

It’s a glaring fact that outgoing Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL), who has served as the chamber’s only Black Senator for nearly two years, calls “unacceptable” and “troubling.”

“Throughout 220 years of Senate history and 111 Congresses — only six black Americans have been able to serve,’’ Burris said in a farewell speech before four Senators and twenty staffers on the Senate floor. “This is troubling in its own right.’’ The speech can be viewed here.

Burris was appointed to serve out the remainder of President Barack Obama’s Senate term once he was elected to the White House in 2008. During his speech, a solemn Burris made no mention of his past ethics troubles following his appointment by disgraced and convicted Illinois Gov. Rob Blagojevich. Nor did he bother to mention or thank his senior state colleague Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL).